Distances and Donnie
by SilentMyriad
Summary: Leo reflects on an action Donnie took. Set during Turtles in Space Pt 1.


_Well, after many months of reading everyone else's work, apparently a little fic snuck into my head and refused to leave. So I guess I will brave the uncharted waters of writing now. (I made an account, simply for this fic. It was that persistent.) This had no beta. Feel free to leave much help (constructive criticisms sought!) in reviews/PM. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT, that right belongs to Peter Laird now._

_This takes place during _Turtles in Space – Pt. 1: The Fugitoid_. For those who know the story, skip to the end of the italics. For those who want my brief recap, read on. _

_After yet another defeat of Shredder, Splinter (who was badly injured) goes missing. The turtles tear the city apart looking for him. Including duping a Guardian into making an appearance to trace him back - to the TCRI building. Inside of which they find all sorts of alien things, including Master Splinter in a stasis chamber of some sort. Don tries to figure it out, but in the meantime the aliens decide to attack. Don jumps in front of (an errant) laser shot heading for the stasis chamber. Then the turtles ends up on a platform that blasts them across the universe, where they meet the fugitoid and basically have everyone in the world hunting for them. _

_Now, please read. And review. Let me know if you enjoyed the idea at least?_

* * *

I watch Don absentmindedly rub his plastron. Right across the center. I wonder if it's because it still hurts or if it's the memory that he still feels.

I ought to be paying attention to whatever mess Raphael is driving us into. But I can't. My thoughts are watching the images of my memories. Watching us run and duck away from the mess of laser blasts. Watching in horror as they drew closer to the one who was unprotected and unable to dodge. Still watching my brother leap in front to protect him.

Master Splinter.

I feel my eyes close. We were so close. And now we are so very far.

Distance. It's a strange thing. Now we are light-years away, and we are unable to help him. Only a few hours ago I was feet away and unable to help him. Only Don could possibly figure out that strange stasis he was being kept in. And then later...

I was too far away again. But he got there first. He ... We all would have, I know. But I wonder if he thought about who would figure out how to get Master Splinter out of there is he wasn't ... conscious. I wonder if he thought about it before he jumped. Probably not. Of all of us, myself especially, he never should have been the one.

But I was too far away. Light years. Feet. Inches. Absolute distances. Too far. Relative distance.

I can't get my thoughts in order. He's rubbing his plastron again. He's not even aware he's doing so, I think. He's moving from console to console, as if trying to take in all this new Federation tech all at once – and lost to the rest of the world around him.

My thoughts feel lost too. I almost lost my Sensei. Instead, I almost lost my brother while he was trying to save our Sensei. Then we'd never have been able to figure out the stasis and we would have lost Master Splinter despite it all. And now we're all lost. Lost on this planet, running around with this fugitoid and with an army on our tails - an army whose tank we are currently riding around in. Only Raphael would have thought this was a good choice for our transportation.

We'll need transportation home. I need to plan. We have to be able to do this right next time. We might not get another chance. We've already blown one. I need to do this right. I should have been there instead of Donnie. We have to be protecting him so he can work. I failed my duty to Don. As I failed Master Splinter.

He turns around and glances my way. He stops, puzzled, as he notices I'm staring at him. I half-start, trying desperately to think of something to say to deflect his attention. I fail. He walks over next to me and starts fiddling with the control panel beside the one I'm leaning against. He's waiting for me. I can't. I'll just tell him to focus on the task at hand (hypocrite) and then --

"Does it still hurt?" That was not what I had meant to say. Don looks at me puzzled again. "You keep rubbing where ...", I trailed off, uncertain how to possibly finish that thought. Sudden understanding flashes across his face. He catches on too quick.

"We'll get him back, Leo." He pauses, watching me. "We all will."

I breathe deeply. Those three little words stole right into the heart. We _all_ will. _Our_ Sensei. My brothers want him back just as much as I do; and they will do just as much as I will to do so.

Which means I had best get my head in the game and get us home. I nod at Don with a tired smile and sent him back to his explorations. Now, I turn my attention back to far more pressing matters - like the Federation tank Raphael is currently parading us through town.

"Couldn't you have boosted something a little less – I don't know – conspicuous?!"

* * *

_Yes, the last line is directly from the episode. _

_Okay, so now that you've read it, what do you think? Should I have tried to go through things a little slower? I'm probably not doing Leo justice, but I was trying to catch him at a weak moment and in a stream of consciousness kind of way._

_Opinions?_


End file.
